A Crystal Carol
by Dropshine
Summary: The classic Dickens story is here again with a bit of a twist. Peridot has become rather detached from the life on Earth she once cared for. However, with a little help from the Crystal Gems and the spirit of an old friend, her vigor has been reignited (along with a love for the holiday itself). Please enjoy!
1. In the Vapor

**A Crystal Carol**

© Dropshine, 2019

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Steven Universe_. It belongs to Cartoon Network and Rebecca Sugar. I don't own _A Christmas Carol_, either. It belongs to Charles Dickens, and it's public domain, so yeah. Enjoy or whatever.

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**Chapter 1: In the Vapor**

If you were to describe a town like Beach City, which word would come to mind? Well, it really depends on perspective, the way you're looking at it. Personally though, the answer to that question would be this: warm, and not just in a literal sense. Sure, people have their issues, some more urgent than others, but it's generally pretty calm. During the holidays, the festiveness of it all just makes the place warmer. Don't know what that means? Well, good. Because that's the perfect opening needed for a day like this. And what a merry Christmas Eve this is turning out to be!

Needless to say, the island had a pretty good sense of Christmas cheer this December twenty-fourth. The Cool Kids were exchanging their holiday plans, Ronaldo was trying to come up with some Santa Claus conspiracy, and Onion was…well…it's not important what he was up to. The point is everyone was happily doing their own thing. However, not quite everyone was acting this way. Turning the corner and walking at an average pace was a short, green gem with triangular hair; her eyes were facing downwards with an expression of deep thought on her face. A few took a brief glance at her for a moment while others didn't even seem to notice. Before long, she had walked past the area and ended up near the temple. Steven was gazing at a fairly large figure covered in a white sheet, a tool box close by. Peridot looked at the half-gem and stopped.

"Steven," she began with a tone of slight impatience.

The 14-year-old turned towards the gem. "Hi!" He greeted her with a friendly smile.

"How is it?" she motioned towards the figure.

He turned his attention back to it and began to remove the sheet carefully. "Well, it seems to be in a pretty good condition." Uncovered, the figure was revealed to be four metallic appendages, still within development; each had its own small stand for more efficient working conditions. The boy smiled contentedly, awaiting the gem's reaction.

Peridot inspected the makeshift display carefully, occasionally straightening a position or two, before responding. "It's…passable," the gem retained her distant expression before lifting her hand to levitate a drill from the tool box. "But it still needs progress." Steven's smile faded for a moment, but he nodded in acceptance anyway.

For about an hour, the two individually began forming details to the enhancements' rough bases smoothly, not sharing a word between each other. The boy paused, though, appearing hesitant. He looked up from the semi-developed foot and faced the jewel's direction. "Hey, er, Peridot? Could I ask you something?"

Still focused, the gem responded. "Fine, what is it?"

A slight smile spread across his face, his hand moving across his hair. "Well, we've been making pretty good time with these limb enhancers, and Christmas _is _tomorrow, so…how about we take a break from this? …For one day."

By this point, Peridot finally turned to him, her cat-like frown tightening. "…'Break'? Steven, I thought you understood the weight of this situation! It doesn't matter if this 'Christmas' is tomorrow or within five years. These limb enhancers have to be done!" With that, she turned back to her previous position, a bit more tense than before. Steven hesitated a moment, before reluctantly handling the metal foot once again.

The length of time seemed to slow a bit, as did the progress. Uncertain about whether to ask or not, the boy fidgeted before adding, "What about the Crystal Gems? I'm sure they'd like to see you again."

The green jewel sighed in disappointment and mild annoyance, before replying, "It was their decision on whether they wanted to help me or not." Her voice was steady, though her tenseness remained. A smile grew once again on the half-gem's face.

"Well, not all of them said no." The gem turned to Steven, an eyebrow raised, before returning to her work. The boy continued as well, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something about his crystalline friend was more despondent than normal. This was an issue he wished to bring up the least, yet it may be part of the reason she was so determined about this project in the first place. He breathed in deeply, and said, "Peridot, if this has anything to do with Lapis, we should really talk about—"

The drill fell from her concentration. Steven froze. Peridot shook her head and picked up the tool. "…Lazuli was shattered six months ago. You and the gems found her on one of the missions, correct?" Her voice was cold. Steven struggled to find the correct words, but nodded solemnly. "What does she have to do with anything?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. She finally spoke again. "…Well, the limb enhancers won't be completed if we don't get back to work." With that, the fourteen-year-old asked no more questions and followed suit.

Not long afterwards, two figures came walking towards the duo, facing each other and having a mild discussion. As they came closer, their voices became more discernible. "Sadie, I told you this wasn't gonna work," came the one with short, red hair and a matching coat.

"Well, maybe it'll let up soon. We've only talked to about five people anyway," came the second with light blonde hair and an ice blue coat. The boy's eyes turned to the source of the discussion, lightening up a little.

"Lars! Sadie!" Steven greeted, a small wave accompanying it.

"Oh, uh, hey Steven!" Sadie returned pleasantly. "We're just here collecting donations."

"Or at least trying to…" Lars muttered under his breath.

"Oh…no luck, huh?" Steven asked.

Peridot, her patience waning once again, cleared her throat, "A-hem!"

The boy then turned around to see the gem, scowling. He looked back to the two, appearing mildly apologetic. "Sorry, guys. I kinda need to do this right now."

"Oh, no, it's fine!" Sadie encouraged with a smile. She awkwardly rested a hand in her coat pocket, facing her coworker. "So, where to next?"

The gem eyed the box in the blonde one's hand curiously. Noticing she was distracted, she turned and straightened a crooked edge on the vaguely developed arm. Her eyes again wandered to the object. Reluctantly, she fully turned to the two and asked, "What's that oddly shaped container?"

Lars and Sadie simultaneously turned to the voice. The young woman glanced at the donation box she held, then back. "Oh, this? Yeah, this is for storing the donations to the less fortunate."

"It's kind of an annual charity thing," Lars shrugged indifferently.

The jewel paused for a moment, a hint of suspicion in her eyes. Were these two really sending the contents of this package to anonymous groups, without even knowing how worthy they are? "So…these 'less fortunates' didn't earn this?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Heh, well…" Sadie began, a bit unsure how to respond. However, before she could explain, she noticed the gem's eyes narrowing.

"Why would you gift them with items they don't even deserve? If you ask me, they shouldn't rely on petty donations and try harder for their own sake!" Her hands balled up in a flustered manner.

The fourteen-year-old looked towards her, his eyebrows lightly curved. "Peridot…" he started, frowning. The redhead faced him a second, noticing Steven's expression. His eyes hardened a bit as he turned back.

"Listen, buddy, it's Christmas. Besides, even if they did try harder, some of these guys don't have a choice. Some are even in danger of dying…" Lars returned, though he hesitated to say that last part. Sadie glanced at him, then smiled slightly at the defense.

By this point, the gem completely tensed up. "Well…you know what? It doesn't matter if someone lives or dies, as long as they're being productive!" She growled.

Steven's eyes widened, and he uncertainly turned to the duo. Sadie uncomfortably shifted as her hand dug further in her pocket. "Ah…" she attempted, trying to reply to something. Her coworker sighed, not wishing to be here, either.

"Come on, Sadie. Let's just get out of here." Sadie nodded silently as they both began to walk away. However, the young woman turned around and mouthed a merry Christmas to Steven, who was watching them leave. The green jewel turned away dismissively.

"Bah! Clods!" She huffed, her eyes shifting upwards. Her hand clenched the drill especially tight as she tried to focus on her next task. Within a short amount of time though, she began the inner workings of the metal arm fairly normally.

Steven turned the foot around, cautiously figuring what went where. Unfortunately, his mind was clouded over the most recent events, so he sighed and set the appendage down. This time, only facing the gem's general direction, he asked, "…Peridot, you didn't mean that, did you? About the whole living and dying thing?"

She lifted her head slowly from the enhancer, a bitter look in her eyes. "Did it sound like a lie, Steven?" She questioned darkly, her frustration barely being kept away. To this, Steven said nothing, only turning back to his work quietly. With nothing else to be discussed, she went back to the arm.

The moon had risen not long ago. The two were still diligently focused on their individual parts. The air was mostly calm, besides an occasional wintry wind that would sweep by. During a particularly chilling one, Steven had to wrap a scarf around his neck to keep warm. He coughed several times. He put a hand to his forehead for a moment. He shut his eyes and sniffled. He looked up at the gem, who didn't seem to notice anything. He looked back, where the Temple was located. With some uncertainty, he stated, "Peridot…I should probably go home now. It's getting kinda cold."

Her expressionless gaze went back to a more heated one. "Fine, then! Don't help me!" She snapped, looking to the half-gem for a few moments. She repositioned the arm carefully, her irritant energy beginning to settle.

Steven took hold of the appendage he'd been working on and placed it on the stand. Slowly, he turned and began to walk away, when he stopped short. He turned around again to face the crystal. He added, "And Peridot…?" His tone was calm with a hint of warmth.

She sighed in annoyance and looked back. "What is it, Steven?" She inquired coldly. Steven met her gaze, seeming a bit downcast. For a bit, he didn't say anything.

Finally, he smiled. "Merry Christmas," he said genuinely. With that, he changed direction once more and walked away, his scarf flapping a little.

Peridot paused. Why did he just say that, and more importantly, why hadn't she responded? With all the things that went on because of this holiday, she should've had a more cross reaction. And yet, why did he seem so genuine…? Breaking out of her questioning trance, she realized she was still staring in the direction where Steven left. Her cheeks turned a light blue as she turned back to the metallic limb. "…Bah! Clod…" she muttered to herself as she connected a small wire.

Not long after this, she closed and sealed the enhancer, placing it on the makeshift stand. She clutched the white sheet and barely managed to cover the work that had been done for the day. With a fair amount of troublesome evening out, it was well concealed and prepared for the following day. As she was turning to leave, though, she noticed a number of small specks calmly drifting to the ground, similar to rain. She stayed eying these flakes a few moments, before growing uninterested and walking off to her own home.

Meanwhile, Steven traipsed on his way, when he too spotted the falling flakes, making their slow descent to the ground. He gazed up at the sight, his eyes lightening up a little. "Nice night…" he murmured. Somehow, through the tranquility of these snowflakes, the boy's walk back home became a bit warmer.

Peridot slowly trudged across the streets of Beach City, wearing a similar expression she held the past morning. Most of the residents had already gone home for the holidays, so the area was primarily bare. Aside from her footsteps on the ground and the occasional sounds of the few people still roaming about, all was quiet. Soon enough, she made her way out and walked across the grass, which was intermingled with snow by this point. The voices of the humans had slowly faded out, until only her light footsteps could be heard. For a second time, she took notice of the white particles floating down, as well as the slight breeze which had become much more tame. Her pace began to gradually slow as she took note of these. The darkness of night combined with the soft coldness of snow seemed to work flawlessly. Such a serene scene…

All of a sudden, Peridot noticed her eyes had nearly closed. Immediately, she straightened up, widened her eyes as best as possible, and refocused her thoughts. All she had to do was return to the barn. She began walking up the hill at a steady pace, attempting to pay full attention to her current task. However, she began to feel an odd sense of compression spreading throughout her physical form. She anxiously looked about, but nothing had changed. The snow had no effect on her; no one was around. The only other symptom was her eyes; though they never usually bothered her, they were beginning to irritate the longer she fully opened them. Thankfully though, the barn was in sight not long afterwards. A sense of relief washed over her as she neared it. She was almost home. Again, she began to decelerate as she neared the familiar building, her exhaustion intensifying. Although, a soft, unexpected sound made her eyes perk up.

It was the sound of the ocean, crashing quietly against a shore. The gem knew this sound well, as whenever she and the Crystal Gems stood near the island's boundaries, it could be heard moving about. Most of the time, she paid no mind to it, as other matters were a much higher priority. It seemed to give a sense of stability, though, since it usually was constant. This one, unlike most, only evaporated that stability.

Of all the times she ever came to this area, the ocean's waves had never followed. Cautiously, she peered down at the smaller-than-average lake. It didn't even stir. A sudden chill of nervousness engulfed her mind. Where was it coming from…? At a quicker pace, Peridot made her way to the barn's doors. Suddenly, a small object caught her eye. The alien-antler knocker hung at the door as it always did. She recalled when she and Lapis put it together, a bit more than a year ago.

Lapis?

Something didn't feel quite right the moment she remembered that gem, as if her memory had somehow been manipulated. Did she play a part in this ocean theme that still rang in the air? She quickly pushed that thought aside. No, Lazuli was—

A royal blue glow shone lowly where the knocker was supposed to be. Her eyes again rested on the figure, but the antlers and face of the little creature were no longer there. Instead, the jewel with a pale blue face and dark hair met her eyes. This face's eyes only stared coldly, a blank yet bitter look darkening her expression. It was unnerving. It was…

Peridot shook her head. It was just a knocker. Nothing more. She heaved a sigh of relief, followed by a look of slight annoyance. "Stupid," she grumbled as she opened the door and entered her home.

A small beam of light shone from her gemstone as she stepped inside the barn. Nothing seemed any different. It was then that she stopped short. The sound of the ocean had swelled intensely. Warily, she turned around. Nothing. She slowly faced forwards again, her body beginning to tense up. With a pause, the gem started walking about her home, the light green ray illuminating the odds and ends that still resided in their proper places. The water tank remained as calm as ever. "Wow Thanks" sat idly at its usual desk. The hammock hung loosely by its hooks. All seemed completely unchanged. Since she entered the building, not even the ocean effect wavered.

"See? Nothing," Peridot assured herself, a nervous grin on her face. Soon after she stated this, the water's tone slowly began to soften, as if it were distancing itself, until all was completely quiet. Once again, the jewel turned around, but not even a sign of peculiarity hung in the air anymore. With nothing else to investigate, she walked to a small space near a corner and sat down. Not far from her, a familiar device lay on the floor, its small rectangular appearance catching her attention. For a few moments, she only stared at the tablet, her eyes gazing at its black surface, before clutching it tightly and hugging it against her chest. She smiled slightly. At the very least, this was secure. After this moment, she turned it on and began to use it.

As time passed, the gem's nerves slowly began to settle as a calm tranquility came over her. Again, that odd sense of exhaustion seeped into her form. However, she continued on her device, attempting to ignore this sensation. More frequently though, this only added to increasing disorientation and heaviness. Finally, she brought herself to set the tablet aside, yawning a bit. Peridot pressed her head against the wooden wall. It felt more comfortable than she could remember. She slowly closed her eyes, her surroundings fading from view…

Peridot's eyes shot open. The waves had returned, but accompanying it was a metallic rattling, starting out quietly but steadily increasing in volume. Every failed attempt, each disheartening clatter of metal falling from her grasp, the frustration and franticness of her inability, returning at full force. The gem froze in place, only her eyes shifting, searching for a source somewhere, anywhere. However, those weren't the only sounds breaking the silence, for a very faint cry sounded every few moments at a time. It was too muffled to be clearly identified, but the distress it had was similar to moaning or crying. Before another moment of thought, the doors swung open wildly. The gem's pupils began to dilate. A large, liquid like ball was what could be seen, and was quickly coming closer, closer, closer. As the figure was moving closer, the barn was surrounded by a hazy mist, hugging the floor. Suddenly, a familiar but more ghostly voice echoed, seemingly from everywhere. "Peri…dot…"

She was now shivering, unable to say a word. The air, which had been unnoticeable at first, became as frigid as ice. Peridot's eyes locked onto the figure, teeth clenched, backed against the wall, perspiration dotting her forehead.

Finally, being only a few feet away from each other, the spherical figure opened up to reveal that familiar gem of the ocean, her dark hair slightly stirred up and her eyes closed. The water covering smoothly wrapped around her hands and flowed out into the mist in a small, chain-like pattern. Her arms steadily came down as the chains did, showing no clear sign of resistance. After a moment of silence, Lapis Lazuli breathed deeply, followed by slowly opening her eyes which rested on the green gem, sitting against the barn's wall. The smaller jewel opened her mouth slightly, as if trying to say something, but only a sound resembling a small whimper came out. The taller gem seemed to give a shadow of a smile before asking, "…Peridot, don't you remember me? Have I really been away that long?"

Peridot, able to somewhat keep her composure by this point, responded. "O-of course, Lapis! But you just seemed so…so…" she shrunk slightly.

The blue jewel stared in her former roommate's direction, a pained expression cast over her face. "Peridot, are you…afraid of me, now?"

"What? N-no! I didn't think that…I mean…" the gem stammered, trying to amend her words. "I just thought you were…shattered?" She involuntarily winced a moment at that final word.

Lapis slowly looked to her bound hands, then back. "Well…you weren't wrong about that," she admitted heavily. Her eyes softly drifted upward, as if searching for something, before speaking again. "…Most of the time, broken souls just try to make themselves whole again physically, but…" she lowered her head slightly, regret in her voice. "…In certain cases, some travel their homes aimlessly, a barely stable form, forever lost in what might have been worthwhile in life."

"And…the chains?" Peridot asked hesitantly.

Lapis stayed silent. She looked to her with mild surprise before her mouth formed into something of a smile. She let out a hollow laugh, before turning to the shackles again. "This was just me being stubborn. I was so bent on running away from being trapped that…I did it myself. Over time, I stopped caring about life on Earth, and those who cared… That's why I ran away last year." She shifted her attention back to the green jewel, as her expression turned dark. "But sometimes I wonder. If liquid chains hold me down like this, what will metallic ones do to you?"

Peridot's eyes widened at this. She glanced at her own hands for a moment, dreading any undetected alteration. Thankfully though, all was the same for the time. Lazuli appeared a bit uncertain, though the chill she had remained.

"I've noticed you've been following my example lately," she began with a sad smile. "Do you remember when you told me I didn't have to be alone on Earth? I want to return the favor." She lightened up a little, genuine care peeking through the cold.

"Lapis, I'm not sure this is a good time for that…" Peridot tried anxiously.

"I mean you don't have to meet this fate," Lapis explained, raising a hand as best she could. She suddenly paused, momentarily avoiding eye contact with the gem. This may have relieved Peridot of Lapis' chilling stare, had she not looked so miserable. "On one condition…" she finally noted.

She didn't say anything else. Initiating, the smaller gem straightened up a bit. "Which is?" she inquired curiously.

Lazuli sighed before making full eye contact once more. Her face was no longer darkened, but gravity still remained in her disposition. "You'll be visited by three more ghosts, the first starting at midnight."

"I'd…rather not." Peridot stated, uncomfortable.

"I'm afraid there's no other choice," the other jewel replied. She stepped forward, a worried look in her eyes. "I want to help, but I can't—" she stopped short. Her arms jerked downward, the chains dripping further into the mist. Grunting, she attempted pulling them back up, barely succeeding. "…Stay anywhere for very long," she finished in a strained voice. She lowered her head, catching her breath. "This is the last you'll see of me for a while…" Lapis said. Slowly, she turned around, walking towards the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Peridot asked nervously.

She said nothing.

"Lapis?"

Near the door, the liquid shackles encircled her, reforming the sphere she had come in. However, she remained silent.

"Lapis, wait!" Peridot shouted, instinctively stretching a hand out.

She turned around. Somehow, unlike before, she could still be seen inside the sphere. Her dress and hair were flowing gently. She smiled. "Goodbye, Peridot…and good luck." She closed her eyes. A ripple engulfed the sphere, rising into the night air. Suddenly, all was dark…

"Lapis!" Peridot jerked up, her eyes snapping open.

The mist was gone. The doors had closed. It was quiet. Not a sign of her remained. The gem checked the hour. "11:55…" she murmured. She slowly stood up, recalling what she'd just experienced. Another ghost? Perhaps she had become overstressed by her job. Then again, something about Lapis' visit couldn't let her be convinced by this. Either way, she had to prepare for what was to come, real or not.

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**Author's Note: Thank you for reading this. It may be a little confusing, but let me explain a few things. This is an altered timeline, taking place sometime after the human zoo incident and Pumpkin's creation, but before Aquamarine and Topaz start "collecting" people. In this timeline, as you can probably tell, Lapis leaves prior to her true leave in the actual show because of a sort of lonely detachment. Afterward, Peridot is left alone without a roommate and begins to fall into a depression herself, like the show. However, because Lapis takes nothing with her in this version, Peri stays in the barn, though time is at a stand-still in there with her not having the heart or will to change anything. Sorry for the long note. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Bye-bee~!**


	2. Pearl's Apparition

**Chapter Two: Pearl's Apparition**

Three spirits. Peridot turned her attention to the nearby morp on the desk. Had this happened over a year ago, she would have recorded a message on her tape recorder, discussing her situation and possible solutions. Now, she was only met by its crumpled remains. She grimaced. She began pacing the floor impatiently, awaiting the inevitable entrance of whoever this ghost would be. Of course, the visit could have never happened and she was preparing for nothing. Then again, it wouldn't hurt being safe. Peridot stopped. This seemed longer than five minutes. "It's running late…?" she murmured. "Well," she began pacing once more. "It's possible that this spirit is using another method I haven't recognized yet. Or something needs to be done before it can appear. Or…" she quickly stopped herself. "What am I saying? Ghosts don't even exist!" she blurted, crossing her arms.

Peridot turned around. "Good evening, Peridot." Pearl was staring down at her, wearing an oblivious smile.

"Gya!" she yelped, flinching. "Wha…Pearl, couldn't you have at least knocked?!" Peridot quickly lowered her arms, staring up at the taller gem.

Pearl's smile faded, then widened her eyes as if she had forgotten something. "Oh, my apologies. Perhaps I should introduce myself." She closed her eyes, a more gentle smile on her face now. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Past, here to assist you," she declared with a nod.

Peridot raised an eyebrow. "You're…the first Ghost," she returned flatly.

"Right!" Pearl clasped her hands together enthusiastically. "Now, though you've never experienced this holiday for long, you've held its virtues centuries before you even contacted Earth," she explained in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

The shorter jewel just stared blankly. This was definitely Pearl. However, this "Christmas virtue" thing was different. After a moment, she narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Her light blue eyes suddenly lit up. "Well I'm glad you asked!" Pearl strode out towards the door and carefully opened it. Peridot followed curiously, attempting to look past the door. The moment she noticed what was now in front of her made her immediately halt. A large, white vortex with a diamond pattern spiraling inside stood only a few feet away. For a moment, she looked to the other crystal. She, too, stared at it, though it seemed as though she were admiring a painting instead of gazing at a random portal leading to who-knows-where. The supposed spirit stepped in front of it, facing the jewel. "This is a time portal," Pearl explained, her hand motioning to the object of interest. "It recreates past events of any moment in time. However, you can't interact with these memories as they are only projections of the mind."

The green gem paused thoughtfully. "It's…similar to a base's navigator?" she asked, mild intrigue peppering her voice.

"I suppose in a few respects. Yes," Pearl answered, a speculative finger near her mouth. She glanced at the sky, her eyes leading upwards for a moment, before facing the gem once more and suddenly wrapping a hand around her wrist. "Now come on. The night wanes quickly," she informed curtly, already beginning to walk towards the portal.

Despite the hand's gentleness, it was wrapped especially tightly, so any struggling motion Peridot attempted to make proved to no avail. She turned to the apparition apprehensively. "Wait, I don't think this is very—!" she began, before being immediately sucked inside along with Pearl.

Air and light. Besides the gem she now was holding on to by the shoulders, that's all she detected. The diamond pattern stretched onward, a dizzying assortment of them passing by every few seconds. Suddenly, the light seemed to shift in a circle, the shapes beginning to rotate, faster and faster, until it seemed as though they were falling. Peridot screamed, shutting her eyes tightly, as if hoping that would make it all just disappear. The ghost, noticing this, shifted her eyes to the terrified gem. She opened her mouth, about to say something, before simply turning back and emitting a dismissive sigh.

The portal suddenly opened, the pressure causing Peridot to temporarily lose her grip before grabbing hold of Pearl's lower leg instead. By this point, she was silent, though she still refused to open her eyes. The spirit landed gracefully on her feet, observing her surroundings a bit. "…Is it done yet?" the smaller jewel asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes, Peridot. You can open your eyes, now," the other smiled, passively rolling her eyes.

Reluctantly, she slowly let go, her eyes steadily opening until she realized where she was exactly. She got to her feet, a glow in her eyes, and studied the structure of the scene. The tall buildings of various depth, the Kindergarten in the near distance, quartz soldiers marching left and right, gathering minerals. "This is…" she mumbled in awe.

Homeworld.

After a moment, Pearl spoke up again. "You remember this location?" she smiled down, noting the gem's reaction.

"Remember? I was practically made in this wing!" she answered, still taking in the world around her.

"In that case, you should probably recognize where we're going," the ghost remarked, once again grabbing the gem's wrist, a bit less sudden this time. Peridot was about to object, but her own curiosity silenced her. The towering walls of the Kindergarten came closer as they walked. The apparition continued onward, basically expressionless.

"Um…where exactly are we headed? This is an unauthorized Kindergarten," the jewel informed, somewhat confused.

Pearl looked back a moment, sympathy coloring her expression. "I suppose our destination will remind you," she responded simply, and soon faced forwards while continuing again. After several yards of randomly placed empty depressions, a single figure came to view, standing nervously. A green gem, appearing taller by the metallic appendages on her limbs, scanned her surroundings. The unattached fingers spun about, forming a screen, as the thumb floated idly. Staring the last few moments at the empty space, the novice Peridot bit her lip and began to examine the information on the screen.

Present Peridot walked up to herself, trying to recall the memory. However, every moment of that time seemed to blend together, nothing coming clearly. Her eyes turned to her old screen, standing on tiptoe to read it properly. From what she could gather, it involved the disrepair of Kindergartens and failed experiments. She glanced at her past self, who no longer was searching carefully and merely sighed in hopelessness. Suddenly, Present Peridot's eyes widened, the memory connecting. "Wait, this was when…" she mumbled in surprise.

The sharp footsteps of a nearby gem broke the quietness of it all. A yellow and silver Agate with her Gem on her right eye marched forwards, staring at the green inferior coldly. However, this jewel looked to the side, apparently lost in thought. "Returned to the failedKindergarten, 5XG?" her boss questioned in a hostile tone.

Both past and current Peridot jolted at the voice, finally noticing what was going on. With clear discomfort in her eyes, the shorter version stepped away, waiting for her past self's response. "Iris Agate! I-I was just—!" her younger self stammered, only being cut off immediately.

"If you continue with this nonsense, I can assure you that _this,_" for emphasis, her hand reached into her gemstone, pulling an electrical whip and twisting it menacingly. "will be a sign of relief," the Agate finished, still glaring.

Past Peridot's hand temporarily shielded her face, before noting no damage had been done yet. A look of shame and vulnerability came over her. "Of course…" she finally replied submissively. Appearing satisfied by this, Iris Agate closed her eyes and stepped back towards the exit, her weapon dragging behind her. The younger placed her hand on the wall, sadness building further still. She realized her higher-up was beginning to eye her coldly for not immediately following and rushed forwards, the weight on her legs nearly causing her to lose her balance. She desperately held her arms out, thankfully aiding in equilibrium; she began walking at a more normal pace, albeit with her eyes facing the floor.

The apparition took a few steps forward. "As you may know, this was a sign of…" her mentoring voice trailed off, seeing the green gem's discomforted expression. "What is it?" she asked, mild concern in her voice.

The present gem fidgeted, struggling for an answer. "It's just…" she stared down, nervously tapping her index fingers together. "I should have been more patient with Steven earlier," she answered, now facing her companion again.

The Pearl spirit hummed to herself, her lips pursing. "So this is how you _could_ have stayed," she slowly continued, staring at the silhouettes nearly out of sight. Her eyelids suddenly lowered, her expression turning dark. "Unfortunately, time tells a different story." Just as she said this, the background began to shift and melt away, as if staring outside through a rained on window. The smaller gem stepped away, but as quickly as it began, the setting had turned to an open area, metallic buildings and a single warp pad in the distance.

The warp lit up in a cylindrical position, a slightly older version of the Peridot they had just witnessed materializing until the beam went out. She glanced from side to side, this time with a stern expression, as she stepped off the pad and again opened up her screen. All timidness she originally had had seemed to disappear, standing straight with assertion.

"It seems you've risen in position," Pearl spoke again, a dry smirk on her face. Judging from the quality of these green and black enhancements, a few hundred years had likely passed, the gem supposed, staring at herself once again. Her eyes tore away as she took notice. It seemed oddly quiet for Homeworld.

A sound broke the silence. Light, childish grunting in a strained tone started lowly, but quickly rose in volume as she came closer. A small Ruby, her hair cube-like and her Gem on her upper back, was being carried by the arms by two Amethysts, a Yellow Diamond insignia on their chests. "Please! You have the wrong gem!" she squeaked, struggling against the guards' grip on her.

The Amethyst on the left, her gemstone on her left shoulder, tightened her grip frantically. "Listen, the Zircon proved you guilty, and it's our job to take you to your place," she growled, her head motioning to a large building with a dark hue. "Nothing personal," she added under her breath.

"Could I just explain myself? Someone even knew I didn't do it!" The Ruby tried desperately.

For a moment, the guards stared at each other for an answer, before the one on the right, her Gem on her right thigh, looked to the struggling jewel. "Look, we weren't there to catch everything in the case, so just be quiet. You're making me feel bad…" she noted, her eyes soon moving toward something else.

The captured one stared forward, her hands drooping down. Her gaze softened, not looking at anything in particular, until her attention shifted to the green gem on her left, fingering through something. The Ruby's head perked up, vigor once again in her eyes. "You!" she gasped.

Past Peridot paused a moment before going back to her job, ignoring her.

"You know what happened! Just…tell them it wasn't me!" She began to grow frantic, trying to struggle out of the Amethysts' grip once again. As before, they held her down, though they stopped marching this time.

The technician raised her head, eyes cold. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she stated.

"But…you have to know this! Peridot, I…" she stopped, her eyes watering. "I can't hold on anymore…help me!" She leaned to the side, tugging a final time.

The green gem's expression remained unchanged. Her finger screen disappeared as she scanned the captive. After a moment, her eyes narrowed. "This was brought on yourself," she turned around, walking away.

"No…" the tears dripped down Ruby's face. Her head lowered, body shivering. Even the guards stared, momentarily frozen.

The left Amethyst straightened up, trying to regain her composure. "Come on. Let's go," she said, half to the second and half to herself. The right nodded solemnly as they walked off, leading their captive to her broken fate.

The spirit turned her head to the side, about to speak, but noticed the current Peridot, her back to her. Her look softened. "Peridot? Are you alright?" her voice was gentle. After a moment, she turned to her, tears of her own threatening to form in her eyes.

"Why did you show me this?"

Pearl glanced at the scene, then back at her. "This was only a time when you stopped caring about other gems. I haven't altered anything." She stepped away, seeming prepared for something.

The green jewel hugged her arms, looking away. After a moment, though, she turned back to the apparition curiously. "Wait…but things changed once I became a Crystal Gem! Doesn't that matter?" she cocked her head to one side.

Pearl stared down at her, a hint of surprise on her face before quickly returning to her mentoring demeanor. "Well, putting these memories into focus, it does." As before, the setting began to shift, though the presentation turned to short segments of memories silently playing before switching to another. Her gradual bond with Steven, then Amethyst, then Pearl, then Garnet. To find these memories playing in succession like this…it was indescribable.

Pearl's fake coughing snapped her out of her moment. "Once you joined, we noticed an optimism you hadn't had prior. It even seemed as though that passion would never go out. However, _this _moment…" the pale gem cupped her hands awkwardly. "…well, maybe you should just see it." The images stopped flashing by, instead, fully enveloping into a new memory.

Earth.

The sun had begun to set. The barn stood only a few feet away, appearing oddly warmer despite having the same features. Again, she saw herself, now being her same height. To her left was Steven, staring down. To her right was Lapis, her hands at her side. Despite these three different persons, they all shared one thought. No one was going to be happy by the end of this.

After a moment, Steven slowly turned to the blue gem. "Lapis…it's okay. No one's stopping you." He tried to smile warmly, though his eyes betrayed him.

Lapis walked toward him, bending down a bit. "Thanks for the support…but please know this." A mixture of determination and sadness came across her face. "This time, I won't be going back." Her voice began to break.

The ocean gem went back to her place, taking notice of her other friend, who was staring up silently.

"Peridot? You've been quiet."

The past self looked at the ground a moment, then back.

"Did you want to discuss something?"

Past Peridot stayed wordless, before finding her voice after a moment. "It's just…do you know how much Pumpkin's gonna miss you?" As if on cue, the quadrupedal pumpkin innocently walked forward, staring at the conversation.

The taller jewel paused, eying them both. "Pumpkin doesn't understand. I'm sure she'll be fine after a while," she responded simply.

Peridot turned her head around, trying to take note of something. "Well," she began before going back. "What about the barn? The morps we haven't finished yet? I thought we were working together on those!" She motioned her hand to the building behind them.

Lapis stared at the barn thoughtfully, but shook her head. "Peridot. There's nothing I can really take. After all is said and done, they're just…things."

"Um…" the gem paused, struggling for words. "Y-You just need more time! If you give this place another chance, maybe you'll see differently!" she tried in desperation.

Lapis' hands shook. "I've already tried that, but I still can't get used to this place!" she cried out. Her head lowered, eyes shut.

"Lapis, we talked about this!" the younger Peridot comforted. "You don't have to shut yourself out!"

"You don't understand. Every time I try to open up, I just get reminded of how fragile the world is," her eyes darkened. "I'm not going to lose another part of myself…for this." Her gem glowed as her water wings flapped into formation.

Peridot's eyes narrowed, her body going tense. "Well…maybe I shouldn't have expected anything resembling loyalty from someone like you!" she blurted suddenly.

Lapis stared back, her cold eyes boring into the gem's mind. Her past self's eyes widened, covering her mouth. "I…I…" she began, unable to finish. That face… It was unnerving. It was…

Lapis Lazuli turned around and held out her arms. Her wings lifted her off the ground, leading her into the air. She paused, about to look back, but took off once again, her wings flapping faster. Soon enough, she was out of sight.

"…I'm sorry," the green gem finally said. Steven walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

He reached for his phone, pressing something and putting the device to his ear. "Hi Pearl," the boy greeted. He paused. "Yeah. I'm gonna stay in the barn tonight." He stopped again, listening intently. "No, I'm okay. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Bye." He pressed something else and put it back.

The two left sighed simultaneously. "Let's go in…" Steven trudged to the building, the jewel following behind closely.

The Pearl ghost watched in curiosity. "So that's what he meant," she mumbled, nodding to herself. The present gem glanced at her. The apparition glanced back, stepping briskly after the two who had just entered. The present version stepped after, though her eyes were on the sky. Oddly enough, the setting suddenly darkened in what felt like a matter of seconds. By the time she reached the ghost, moonlight was beginning to stream through, before slowing to a normal speed again.

The fourteen-year-old held his legs together, quietly looking at nothing in particular. His eyes wandered over to the gem sitting in front of him, facing away. After a moment, he got up and walked to her. She said nothing. He sat next to her, awkwardly trying to reach for something to say. She faced him, a solemn look in her eyes. Steven smiled reassuringly. She looked down and slowly faced away again. He frowned. He slid away from the gem quietly, lying on top of a small sleeping bag that had been put out for him. He placed his hands under his head, sighing.

"Lapis…" the present Peridot mumbled, still staring at the scene.

"One shadow more," the ghost remarked, appearing unfazed.

A vulnerable expression crossed her face. "Wait, what are you doing?" Without another moment of hesitation, she soon found herself outside, a few familiar prototype enhancement skeletons several feet away. Her past self worked alone, setting aside parts and organizing them based on function. Her depression from not long ago had mostly faded, though certain signs, like her silence and viable demeanor, remained. The past version faced forward, a small figure walking to her, hands in his pockets.

Present Peridot stepped back, hands balled up. "Spirit…you can't show me this," she protested.

"Sometimes, the most painful memories are the most significant," the ghost gem responded. She shifted about awkwardly. "I should know…"

Steven met her eyes, this time with him bearing a pained look. "I made it," he stated, a lump in his throat.

She absently set up the proper tools. "Oh, you're here. Are you ready to—" the jewel stopped. Steven gazed up, covering his mouth a moment. A sense of gravity found its way to her voice. "Steven? What is it?"

He stared down, the raw emotion seeping further. "The gems and I found Lapis today," he said softly.

Her eyes widened, unconsciously getting closer. "Really? So where is she?"

"Peridot, she's…" he began to shiver. "She…" He slowly stared up, tears building up in his eyes. "I thought…I could save her…" he answered, unable to keep himself from crying any longer.

After a moment, she gripped her uniform, unable to speak. She could only stare, eyes on the boy. When the initial shock left her, her eyes faced away from the child, an odd sternness emanating from her. "I suppose I should've expected this," she muttered, her downcast eyes turning to a glare. "She even said she wasn't coming back!"

The half-gem wiped his eyes, stepping forward with care. "Hey, I don't think she meant it like that," he began, his hand out.

She turned around, her fists shaking. "I tried to be more understanding, but that didn't work! I tried emotional honesty, but that still wasn't enough!" She seethed, now holding the sides of her head. "And now, she's…!" Peridot stopped, unable to form the words.

"Look, hold up. It's not your fault. No one knew this was gonna happen," he consoled.

"Well, I'm not losing these!" She immediately gripped the prototypes, her last burst of fervor.

Steven paused. "Listen," he said, almost in a whisper. He waited for a reaction. She gave her attention once again. "It hurts for me, too…" his eyes began to water again. "That's why we shouldn't work on this today."

She closed her eyes, her hold loosening. When she opened them again, she responded, "That's exactlywhy we should work on this today." To prove her point, she set the pieces down, holding her hands out and levitating a drill from the set of tools by the parts. It made its way to her hand after a moment.

The half-gem picked up another prototype, scanning certain pieces that seemed a little loose. His eyes went to the gem, beginning to place certain fragments together. She wore a detached expression, eyes somber but determined. "I just hope you know what you're doing." Steven turned back, attempting to focus on his new task.

The ghost shifted her attention to the present Peridot, who had her eyes on the ground.

"Pearl," she started, a forlorn glint in her eyes. "I can't take any more of this."

The Pearl spirit opened her mouth, about to correct her, but closed her mouth again. Instead, she nodded quietly. "Very well. I have no more to show you." The gemstone on the pale ghost began to glow. "But remember this." A hint of caution came into her voice, gravity in her light blue eyes. "Though the past cannot be changed, perhaps something else can…" Pearl closed her eyes.

The surroundings pulsed in and out of existence, all beginning to fade. Strangely enough though, she felt no concern over this, as if it was the most natural happening throughout this experience. All including the apparition began to fade into a dark background. A familiar background; all she sensed though, was the same forlorn sense that had fallen over her as she watched her own actions occur in front of her. After a few seconds though, as her eyes adjusted, she noticed she was now staring at a wooden wall. She shook her head, the emotion beginning to fade as well. She glanced about. Nothing had changed. The barn was still the same. She was still the same. She could just recall certain experiences more clearly. But that didn't change anything.

Right?


	3. Amethyst's Ghost

**Chapter Three: Amethyst's Ghost**

It all seemed so vivid now. Every moment, every feeling. The place known as Homeworld was honestly inseparable from her memory, and yet, it seemed so muddled before. Then, that ghost had to remind her.

Peridot paused a moment. She still had two more of these. She might not have been prepared the first time, but she would not make that mistake again! She turned around. She was met with another wall. She let out an annoyed growl. "Alright! I know you're here!" she shouted at the air. There was no answer.

Peridot crossed her arms. "This is pointless…" she mumbled to herself, absently walking towards the front end of the barn. As she glanced at the floor though, she blinked in curiosity. A small shadow had crept through the door, a scuffling noise following right after. This was it. With a moment of hesitation, she pushed the door open, eyes still on the shadow. It was now enormous. With the size of this shadow, she could only imagine the form it had taken. An Agate? Morganite, perhaps? She stepped toward the source, eyes wide and focused.

The shadow led to a boulder, the stunted Amethyst sitting atop of it. Unlike the Pearl spirit, a messily crafted wreath perched on her head, somewhat lopsided. Her eyes were half closed, facing the side but not really looking at anything. She turned forward. "'Sup?" she greeted, lifting her hand lazily.

The green gem raised an eyebrow. "You?" she questioned.

Amethyst squinted her eyes, leaning forward a bit. "Huh? What about…?" She glanced to the sides, finally seeming to understand something. "Oh. Yup, I'm the next one." She smirked. She said nothing else.

Peridot's mouth tightened awkwardly. "So…what have _you_ come to show me?"

To this, the light purple gem straightened up on the boulder, though she still somehow managed to look unprofessional about it. "The name's, uh," she started, her body beginning to glow. Within moments, the silhouette collapsed to a purple cube, her face and Gem still visible. "Christmas Present," she finished, smiling widely.

Peridot blinked.

"Hey-o!" She shook about, a playful gleam in her eyes.

The green gem cocked her head to one side. "But…aren't we already in the present time?"

"What, not even a smirk? Man, this job's tougher than I thought," the other complained, quickly returning to her original form with that same glow. She cleared her throat. "Well, yeah, but here's a heads up. You haven't been looking much further than your enhancer thing, have ya?" She leaned her head on her shoulder.

The standing jewel gave her a look. "Ame…Spirit, this is important!" She quickly corrected herself, hands balled up.

A somewhat disappointed look twitched on her face. "Is it really?" She paused. "You know what else is important?"

Peridot waited for an answer. When none came, she stepped forward. "What?"

The Amethyst ghost loosely crossed her arms. "You'll see." A small smile crept on her face. "By the way, I like 'Amethyst' as a name. 'Spirit's' too…I don't know." She shrugged, raising her hands close to her head. "…Hocus pocus." She wiggled her fingers for emphasis.

She nodded. "Alright." She suddenly froze. She'll see? Did this part remain the same? She tensed up, eying the apparition. "We're not going through a bizarre…portal…thing, are we?"

To this, Amethyst could only stare blankly. "What? What are you talking a…?" she started. In seconds, her eyes widened, a mischievous grin growing on her face. "Oh ho ho ho boy! Past-y put you through _that_ thing?" She chuckled to herself.

"What's so funny?" Peridot tried.

The ghost attempted to cover her smile, yet it only protruded out further. "What'd you do when it started spinning?" she asked, barely holding her laughter back.

Peridot faced down, her cheeks turning a bright blue. "I'd prefer not to think about that."

Amethyst panted, the fit wearing down. "Okay, I'll stop messing with ya." She boosted herself forward, and with a short "hup," she had landed on her feet. She lightly dusted her shoulders. "Let's go," she stated, thumbing towards Beach City.

The green jewel looked to the ghost, then to the town. "We're walking?"

"Pssh. Yeah," she stated simply, already walking down. She paused a moment, waiting with a thankfully patient expression.

"Thank the stars…" she breathed, a hand on her chest. With that, she followed the spirit down the familiar path she had taken just a few hours before.

Still quiet. The lights were now off in the buildings. The snow had stopped falling. It was completely silent. Given these facts, it may have seemed a bit more eerie, almost as if time had stopped. And yet, having someone else was…warm. She hadn't said anything, but she didn't need to. Having someone she trusted, even if it was just assuming her form felt…she knew the word.

Comforting. Yes. It had been a while…

Peridot shook her head lightly. Now wasn't the time to dwell on this. She had to see what this other ghost was about to show her.

"What?" Amethyst looked back, still walking.

"Um…nothing!" she quickly replied, silently hoping the spirit wouldn't prod for an answer.

Instead, Amethyst gave a lopsided smirk. "Don't worry, girl; we're almost there." She gave a thumbs up.

It took a moment, but the gem paused in realization. The Temple with that fusion statue, the wood staircase. The ghost walked up the small hill, making her way to the steps of the beach house. "Welp, here we go," she declared, turning towards her.

The jewel followed, eyes scanning the house, confused. "Why here?" she asked.

The apparition, having arrived at the top, leaned her hand on the wall. "Let's find out. Also, no one can see us, so that's cool." she shrugged.

Much to Peridot's dismay, Amethyst proceeded to casually phase through the door as if going through a projection. The gem cautiously walked forwards before stopping. After a moment, the ghost stuck her head back out. "What, you didn't know we could do that?"

"Um," was her only response.

Amethyst waited. Nothing else came. "Well, yeah." she nodded. "Just…just get in here," she said, motioning to the back before disappearing again.

She reached her hand out. As she witnessed, it passed right through. She retracted it back, closing the hand tightly. She hadn't felt a thing. What was this? In a few moments, she straightened up and walked through.

The first thing Peridot noticed was a familiar young voice. "So what are we doing this year?" On a beige couch, Steven Universe and his "dad," as he called him, were talking happily. Close by, the Amethyst spirit turned around, waving her over to stand closer to the scene.

The man on the right rubbed his head. "I don't know. Probably what we do every other year. Presents, songs, stories, you know," he answered.

Steven suddenly switched to a disheartened look. "But what if the Gems don't make it tomorrow?"

He frowned. "Then…" he started, eyes turning up.

A knock on the door. Steven stood up, a weak smile on his face. "I'll get it," he stated, walking to the screen door.

A girl with dark hair stood, grasping a pink pouch over her shoulder. "Hi, Steven!" she greeted cheerily.

"Connie!" He grinned warmly.

The two walked to the couch. Steven's dad waved. "Hey! Haven't seen you in a while!"

"Hi, Mr. Universe!" she said back. She then turned to the half-gem, a worried look on her face. She placed her hand on his forehead. "How are you feeling, Steven?"

He paused, shifting about awkwardly. "Well, it wasn't too bad today," he replied.

The outreached hand gravitated back to the strap over her shoulder, smiling. "Oh, thank goodness." She set the bag down on the table carefully. "I brought some supplies just in case, though," she continued.

"Thanks," he smiled.

Connie nodded. She then turned around, eyes on random corners of the room, before going back. She raised an eyebrow. "Where are the Gems?" she wondered aloud.

The man made a half smile. "Ah, they'll be back. They just had to take care of something."

Her eyes shifted over to the other side of the room, the lone warp pad sitting undisturbed. "Will they be back by Christmas?" she asked, facing the others again.

Steven was quiet. He gripped the couch fabric, head lowered a bit. "I hope so."

The third held a hand out, bearing a sympathetic expression. "Hey, lighten up, you two," he started, ruffling the boy's hair. "It's Christmas Eve." He quickly searched about, scanning for something. "Uh…" He muttered. It was then he passed his hand over a large guitar. He quickly turned about. "Shtooball! You wanna try out the song we've been working on?"

The half-human looked to the air a moment, as if thinking, until he responded. "…Sure." He nodded. His eyes again met the girl. "Wanna join?" He smiled brightly.

She straightened up, a timid smile playing on her lips.

"I'd love to."

With that, the man lifted the instrument and set it on his lap. He placed his fingers on the guitar, strumming a C Major chord. For a moment, his eyes were fully on the strings, a concentrated but peaceful look on his face. Once he established the intro, his eyes turned to the two kids listening, and he began to sing.

_It's been getting kinda tough this year_

_With all these crazy things moving about_

_But nothing compares with today_

'_Cuz hard part's finally away, carried out_

He began to tap his foot, the verse going to the chorus.

_Well, at least we're all still here_

_This Christmas season_

_At least we'll enjoy it this way_

_This Christmas season_

_There's winter snow in the air_

_There's time for love to show that we care_

_So chin up and say:  
Happy holidays!_

Steven, bobbing his head to the rhythm, gazed to the side, a bit melancholy in the eyes. However, he managed to sing out his own verse.

_You know, I'm still trying hard to believe_

_That everything will be alright_

_And I may not know what comes next_

_But we'll always have each other, guys_

He turned to Connie, who was smiling gently. His eyes seemed to light up at this. "Well…" he began, speaking this time. He himself smiled, his voice growing more confident.

_At least we're all still here_

_This Christmas season_

_At least we'll enjoy it this way_

_This Christmas season_

_There's winter snow in the air_

_There's time for love to show that we care_

_So chin up and say:  
Happy holidays!_

Connie looked to Steven's dad, appearing excited by the rhythm. He gave her a slight nod, as if giving her some "okay." She clasped her hands together.

_No one has to be alone_

_You can count on me_

_And I'll do the same for you_

_This is Christmas Eve_

_So let's not cry or blame or wonder why_

The guitar temporarily stopped. Despite this, though, the girl began the chorus a final time.

_Well, at least we're all still here _

_This Christmas season_

The guitar chords came back, following closely.

_At least we'll enjoy it this way_

_This Christmas season_

Steven piped up, adding in a lyric.

_There's not much left about it_

It was then Greg joined in, adding a lyric of his own.

_There's not much to refrain or doubt it_

Finally, all together, they sang back to the original lyrics.

_So chin up and say…_

Steven cleared his throat, excitedly exclaiming some quote from somewhere. "God bless us, everyone!"

Connie grinned, seeming to enjoy this. Not long after, they brought the song to a close.

_And happy holidays!_

Greg played a small ending melody, finishing the piece on a high note, specifically an upper C.

Steven's bright smile changed to a discomforted frown. He coughed a few times. Then again. His dad looked to him, a worried furrow in his brow. He slowly placed the guitar down.

"Steven?" Connie called out gently.

Steven gasped. Then coughed again. With time, a small glow under his shirt shown through, a dull pink.

"Woah!" Greg jumped, eyes on the dim light.

"Steven!" Connie quickly held her hands out, attempting to comfort the boy.

Peridot stepped back, an uncertain gaze coloring her expression. She turned to the spirit, about to speak. However, Amethyst only bit her lip, locked on to the scene.

The dreaded glow slowly faded out, the boy's coughs steadily coming to a stop. He caught his breath, leaning his head on the back pillows. Connie closed her eyes, letting out a relieved sigh.

The boy's dad turned to the side, passing a hand over his partly bald head. Steven looked back, his breathing regulating. Greg's hand lowered. "Whew! You know, maybe you should stop doing that project thing for a while. It might be making you worse…" he noted.

Steven looked about thoughtfully. "Maybe," he replied lowly. His eyebrows turned up, a worried look crossing his face. "But if I do that, Peridot'll really be alone! She barely talks to anyone anymore…"

The gem stopped at this. She'd be…alone? She tried blinking away the words. He was just confused. Of course that was untrue. She could still manage. Even so…

Connie's voice brought her back to the moment. "Steven, I'm glad you want to help. Just…be careful, okay?" she said.

The boy smiled again. "Aw…" Without a moment of hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace.

The spirit chuckled at the warmer change of tone. "Come on, Peri. Let's go." She began walking to the door, hands hiding in her off-white hair.

"Amethyst…" The green gem reached out. For a moment, her eyes hovered on the boy, before turning back. Amethyst continued walking. "What happened to Steven?"

She froze. She put her hands down and bowed her head slightly.

"He feels lost inside and it's made him really sick. I think." Her words were slow and even. She didn't turn around. The air suddenly stilled.

"You 'think?'" the jewel questioned, desperation beginning to show in her voice. "You're a representation of the present, what do you mean?!"

She turned her head a bit, but still made no eye contact. "It's…complicated."

Peridot stepped forward quietly. "Will he be alright?"

The ghost faced her. A twinge of sadness surfaced in her expression. "Come on, Pear. The future's not my job. I can't—"

"Tell me!"

The gem's eyes turned narrow, fists at her sides. Amethyst slowly turned to Steven, then back. After a moment, she sighed. "Truth is…if nothing changes, the kid's not gonna make it through next Christmas."

Her balled up hands loosened. She tightened her lips, sensing these overwhelming feelings dashing past. "But…he's durable enough! He's gone through worse! He can't do this!"

The spirit's eyes turned dark. An odd chill stayed frozen in her stare, the silence only amplifying the effect. No matter what, Peridot could only look back, unable to turn away. "Well, death can't be stopped, can it?" the apparition slowly leaned forward.

"What?"

"You said it yourself." She closed her eyes, her form turning a bright white; the silhouette began to shift and bend, the head turning a triangular shape. Once the glow left, a light purple double of the gem in front of her stood, face contorting into a growl. "It doesn't matter if someone lives or dies, as long as they're being productive!" she spat.

Peridot quivered. Her own words, turned against her. Her mind drew blank, struggling for words. "You…you just…" she started, almost in a whisper.

The figure closed her eyes. "Yup…" Her Gem glowed once more as she switched back to her original appearance. She faced the door. "Come on. We should really get going." She didn't stop this time. Not wishing to be left alone, Peridot followed through the door.

Snow. That was the entire extent of it. There were no stairs. No grass. Just snow.

She turned around. Not even a door. She slowly turned back to the ghost, her arms crossed and wearing an aloof expression. "This is just a shortcut. You see those two gems over there?" She extended her arm out.

In a few moments, two small figures appeared, one red with cube-like hair and the other with a blue elite's dress and long bangs. "Yes," Peridot answered simply.

"You might want to pay attention to 'em."

Two gloved hands clasped together, her head down. "Ruby…" the elite began gently.

The other's eyes twitched with emotion, a hand passing over her head. "I can't change what's going wrong; it always comes back!" she cried out.

Sapphire held out a hand, her gemstone shining out. "Please, remember your inner strength."

Ruby faced her, a hand shivering. However, she just grunted in response. "If only Garnet was here, she'd know what to do, but no!" She tossed her arms up. "I have to figure out everything myself! Do you know how hard that is?"

She paused, avoiding eye contact a moment. "I do, but…" Her bare hand moved behind her bangs.

"No, let's face facts." She began pacing about, steam beginning to rise from her tracks. "No matter what we do alone, everything comes undone again!" The red gem's pacing slowed to a stop, the steam settling.

Sapphire faced the floor, teeth slightly clenched. "I'm…freezing up…"

Ruby's empty hand rubbed her shoulder, eyes vulnerable. "Am I really that helpless?"

She closed her hands at her sides, her bowed head jerking back a bit. She let out a small whimper.

"Sapphire?"

The red gem turned to her, a touch of worry in her eyes.

"Ruby!" The blue jewel leaned forward, stopped by a clear mass surrounding her dress, already rising to her hands.

"Sapphire!" She rushed forwards, staring at the building ice. "I…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…!" She stammered, holding her by the sides. She pulled away once, then again, then again. However, the ice remained along with the freezing gem.

Sapphire forced a smile. "It'll be alright…" she answered, a shiver growing in her voice.

"No it won't! I…I can't let you do this!" she shouted, already noticing the mass in spikes, up to her companion's neck.

She faced her directly, managing to speak once more. "I'm…sorry…" The ice surrounded her completely.

"No!"

Ruby circled her, panic on her face. Then, she stopped. She covered her mouth, falling to her knees. In a matter of seconds, muffled sobs escaped her mouth, hiccups sounding sporadically.

The present ghost stepped forward, pointing to the encased jewel. "See, Sapphire represents Want." Her finger shifted left. "Ruby…Ignorance."

Peridot turned to her, a hand close to her chest. "But…it can't end like this!" she objected.

The spirit lowered her hand. Her expression became stern, a strange glint in her eyes. "Why not?" The wind began to stir, snow falling forcefully. "Does it matter if someone lives or dies?" Her head lowered.

The gem winced, facing away.

"Even when they're not productive…?" Her voice echoed through the surroundings.

Slowly, Peridot faced back to her original position. "Ah…Amethyst?"

She wasn't there. The gem quickly turned to another side. "S-Spirit?!"

No answer. The wind grew colder, whipping about bitterly.

"Amethyst!"

She panted, now staring at the ground. The winds, however, settled into stillness. A British female voice returned with an answer.

"Amethyst isn't here."

"Huh?!" She jerked upward, scanning for a silhouette. In the distance, a tall figure walked forward, a dark cloak gliding along. For a moment, an ocean crash almost seemed to echo in the distance.

It could've been seconds or millennia. Time was blurred from this point on. The one in the cloak stared down, three eyes glowing through an unidentifiable face. Peridot stared back, the clench of dread drowning out all rational thought.

The future of her actions had materialized.

* * *

**Author's Note: Ohhhh boy. This is when things get darker. Also, this is the point where Peridot has completely bought into the "ghost narrative," and her whole experience goes from "regret-leaning" to "nightmarish force of regret." She has no idea what she's getting into. But we know. So this'll be interesting. See you!**


	4. Garnet's Phantom

**Chapter Four: Garnet's Phantom**

It was silent. Cold, paralyzing, and silent. The cloaked spirit stood there, completely motionless. It was then a thin hand pointed out, a glint of a square-cut Gem showing through. Peridot glanced behind her a moment, but saw nothing of significance. She turned back, awaiting an introduction of some sort. Yet the silence remained. Finally, the gem managed to speak. "So…you must be the Ghost of Christmas Future."

The ghost said nothing. Instead, she slowly nodded, eyes flickering as she blinked. In her normal form, Garnet always seemed the most dangerous in the past. Always standing and staring, as if waiting for some mistake to then strike her to dust. That fusion, always lurking in back, emotionless. These long forgotten sentiments seeped through as she stared.

"I understand you're here to lead me to the following years and show another perspective…"

The Garnet spirit again did not respond, only facing the pointed direction. Despite her calm demeanor, an indescribable sense of passion appeared to hide underneath.

"In actuality, I…fear you more than any other spirit I've seen," she started again, sensing a chill spreading through her form. Whether it was the temperature or her own nerves, it was hard to say. "But I'll follow through if it means the proper change…!"

The figure stayed unmoved.

Peridot fidgeted, attempting to ready herself. "Right." She straightened up. "Well, lead on!" She waited expectantly.

After a few moments, the apparition glided forward, gently lowering her hand as she passed through the fog. The gem turned around. The figure had stopped, the overhanging mist obscuring most of her form. Peridot tensed, but cautiously stepped in after her.

The very next moment, the familiar island boardwalk scenery had shown itself. However, the cheery, bright tone it had seemed to melt away to the muted fog behind them. Near a small shop, three whispering figures stood by.

The one in the middle turned his head quickly, as if searching for something, before quietly speaking to the person on the right in a hushed tone.

"What?" A light, female voice questioned in response, covering her mouth. "But that's too soon." She bowed her head, uncertainty showing in her voice.

The middle person faced her. "I know, but that's what they said." A gravity was retained in his voice as he shook his head.

The one on the left looked upwards, appearing to gaze at something. "The Crystal Gems…they must be handling the situation worst of all," she mused, keeping very still.

The jewel's eyes perked up at the mention of that title. Instead of answers, this only produced further questions. How far in the future was this? What situation? Who even were these humans anyway?

The female on the right stared at her hand a moment, then looked to the other two. "Wait…you don't mean Steven, right?" she blurted.

The other two stayed quiet, a tenser atmosphere setting in. They simply stared, as if some unspoken rule had been broken. The third backed away, clasping her hands together as her shoulders sagged.

"Oh. Sorry," she pushed her light brown hair back with her hand, regret in her voice.

The one in the middle just sighed in response. He turned around, facing the night sky. "Well, in any case, we don't know what's going on out there, so we better be careful about this." He walked forward, the second following soon after.

The third, however, lingered by, still gazing at something. "We really are running out of time…" she quavered, before slowly following after her companions.

Peridot turned to the apparition, a worried look in her eyes. "What are they talking about? Why is this so urgent?" She turned to the three, now silhouettes, then back.

The ghost faced back to the fog, quickly moving toward it. The gem followed suit as the scenery again began to shift into something recognizable.

The beach house stood as it always had, ready to welcome them. However, some quality of the home had grown cold, perhaps colder than the first scene, though it physically remained unchanged. Was this time what they were referring to? The Garnet spirit crept up the steps, not pausing for one moment. Peridot gazed at the familiar building. Not long ago, it appeared oddly cheerful just like its owners. So why was it different now? The ghost stood by the door, about to phase through.

"Spirit, wait!" she blurted.

She stopped, slowly turning around.

"I…I don't think I can do this."

The cloaked Garnet stood at her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. Three eyes closed as she nodded curtly.

Peridot pursed her lips together a moment, before shifting her attention back to the house. "Alright," she said lowly.

The first floor was empty. Traces of warmth were still in the air, but atop of it was a cold, almost despairing, sentiment flowing ever deeper. The ghost faced Steven's room, heading up the stairs as if on instinct. As she walked up after her, she noticed some familiar faces standing around the bed, all looking down.

On the covers lay Steven, tired eyes blinking slowly, arms slightly apart, skin like a pale paste. Pearl sat by his side, tears rolling down her face. "Steven…I can't lose you, too," she quivered, a hand on her chest.

Steven turned to her, a soft smile on his face. "You don't have to cry, Pearl." He wiped a tear away from her cheek. "You remember what you told me, about being strong in the real way? You are strong enough. Never forget that."

The pale gem's lip shook, then lifted to a heavy smile. "…You're right." She nodded. "Thank you." She closed her eyes, trying her best not to let further tears out.

The child shifted his attention to Amethyst, standing next to her. The quartz's arms were crossed, but still faced forwards with a fragile frown. "Hey, Amethyst…" he greeted.

"Hey, Ste-man. I, uh…" She glanced to the side as if scanning for something. "Oh boy…I'm not good with these kinds o' things," she admitted, massaging her forehead.

"It's okay. You know, you've grown…a lot since last I checked. I'm glad you know who you are now."

"Hey, don't get all sappy on me," she gave a somewhat playful smile. Her look softened. "Thanks, though."

He gave a small thumbs up. "No problem." He then frowned, turning to his other side, a concerned expression growing. "Where's Garnet?"

At this, the cloaked fusion turned away for a moment.

"I think she went off somewhere, but don't worry," Greg assured. He sat down close to him, gently ruffling his hair. "She'll be back soon." He stopped, eyes to the side. "I hope…" he muttered.

"Dad…I appreciate that." A sensitive smile began to spread again. "You know, the Gems showed me how to be a leader, but…you showed me how to be a friend. Thanks…"

"Aw, shucks." He shrugged. "I was just trying to do my job, but I think you learned most of it yourself."

"Heh…"

Connie, now with her hair picked up, stepped forward. Her eyes were light, but steadily grew intense, as if about to cry. "Steven, I…" she started. In a matter of seconds, she wrapped her arms around him, tears building up. "I don't think I can do this without you…! You're my…" her voice faltered. "My friend…"

He met her eyes, a glint in his own. "Yeah, but…look around you."

She did so, seeing each of their supportive looks around her.

"These guys…they're all rooting for you." Steven continued, sounding as if he too was about to cry. "You're not alone anymore."

Connie's eyes widened, tears quickly falling from her eyes. "Steven…"

"Connie…" He gently placed his hand on hers, causing her face to redden. They stared at each other for a few moments. Finally, Steven nodded warmly. "Take care of them…"

In return, she nodded back with a determined look in her eyes. Slowly, she let go of him and straightened back to her former position.

Steven once again faced forwards. "Guys…I'm sorry you had to see this," he admitted, his smile steadily disappearing. "I'm sorry…mom's not here." His eyes focused on the Gems momentarily. "She'd probably say this way better than I could…" He passed a hand over his stomach weakly. "I know she's not perfect, but…" he started, tears coming down. "…I think I know who she is now. And that's okay with me." He let out a gasping breath, wincing a moment. Everyone became still. However, Steven gave a slight smile. "Guys…I…love you…"

He closed his eyes. His body became limp. Everything stopped.

"Steven!" Peridot rushed over to his side. Staring at his body, once energetic and warm, had left a strange emptiness behind. With Lapis, she hadn't even witnessed the fading of the friend she once knew, but this time…it was different. "No…!" She leaned her hands on the bed. This time, there was no second chance. The final welcoming glints of the room had faded.

A shadow loomed behind her. She quickly turned around. The Garnet ghost stood quietly, seeming to be waiting for something.

She shook her head slightly, though it barely changed anything. "I think we're done here." She stood next to her, eyes on the floor.

"No…" the voice spoke again.

She immediately turned back to her. "'…No?'"

The surroundings gradually shifted to a cold background, a few sparse, metallic buildings around. Despite the colors, most of the area was in shadow. After a few moments, two familiar Amethysts stopped nearby, one with her Gem on her left shoulder, the other with it on her right thigh.

"Hey, 8XB," the first greeted, sounding lost in thought.

"Oh, it's you. …What is it?" came the second.

The one on the left cleared her throat uncomfortably. "I…I sent off a Crystal Gem today. That happened."

"Really? …Who?"

"Eh…actually, I can't remember. I think she was yelling something like that when I was taking her there." She gazed upwards a moment before facing her again.

"I understand. Things can just meld together over time, so it gets harder to tell some apart from others…" the one on the right shrugged.

The left guard nodded solemnly. "You're right. Can't ask the little thing now anyway…" she mumbled, still loud enough to be heard.

"Heh." She crossed her arms, an odd smile twitching on her face.

The green gem stood back, hands near her chest. The guard smiled at a shattering? It could very well have been a trick of the light, but no matter what, something about it didn't seem right. But what about that Crystal Gem? She couldn't have been alone, right?

Peridot found herself in a yellow-lit room. The walls stretched upwards with the ceiling at a near dizzying height. Besides three imposing limestone columns and a small screen some feet away, the room was near barren.

The apparition extended a finger towards the screen. She looked on, feeling herself beginning to tense up once again. She slowly stepped forward, each movement echoing throughout the room. Once she was nearly in front of the screen, she turned around. "Garnet…? I have to ask something."

The spirit said nothing.

"Is this a definite future, or a possible one?"

She retracted her hand a moment, then pointed to it again more forcefully. Her glowing eyes seemed to twitch a moment.

She sighed. "…Okay." She turned back around.

Despite her shivering hand, she managed to flip open a record file, revealing the words: CLUSTER EXPERIMENT SHARD IMPLEMENTATION—EARTH MISSION EMERGENCE

The diamond form expanded to reveal an extensive list of facets and cuts. Most names were unfamiliar, but the further down it read, the more that odd suspicion grew. "We really are running out of time," that person had said. For some reason, those words rang in her mind as the names continued down. Then, her finger stopped scrolling. She let out a sudden gasp. That title… There had to have been some sort of mistake. It had to be! Rushes of heat and cold spiked at once. Yet there it was, staring at her!

"Facet 2F5L, Cut-5XG; Peridot".

She whirled around. "S-Spirit, I…"

She stood by a mountainous door, staring at her with those three wide eyes. The floor began to darken, passing over the rest of the room. An outline of a sharp, helmet-like top stood above two spiked sleeves. She felt herself pale as she slowly turned her head around. Two diamond—shaped pupils glared in a burning scowl. The long, golden gloves were at her sides, forming into tight fists. Yellow Diamond.

She turned back sharply, her hands out as if reaching for the phantom. "Waitwaitwait! Things are different now! I-I'm different!"

She simply stared back.

"I didn't understand this holiday's importance, but you've changed that!" She leaned forward, but her legs seemed to lock. She glanced down; nothing was holding her. Her eyes began to water. "Spirit, I…I can't hold on anymore! Help me!"

Garnet's eyes narrowed. "This was brought on yourself." She turned around, out of sight.

Loose tears dripped down. "No…"

The towering figure stepped forward, staring down. Every part of her wanted to run away, to escape the wrath of the monstrous Diamond. Her legs were still locked. Paralyzed. Beads of sweat ran down her face as the rest of her form tightened completely. Her arms, her head, she couldn't move anything. The day that once plagued her mind after her sudden rebellion…had arrived.

A flash of blue.

A dark, chained silhouette.

Was it…?

In a matter of moments, a single figure had come together through hundreds of light blue wires, as if it was static. Her dress and hair flowed gently. Her liquid shackles trembled. Her eyes were covered by her bangs, bearing an unreadable expression.

"L-Lapis?"

The ghost gem's hands tightened. She slowly raised her head. Her eyes were completely clear, as if they were empty mirrors. Then, they narrowed with an intense fervor. She exhaled a growl. "Goodbye, Peridot."

She smoothly raised a hand toward the Diamond.

As if on cue, the shadow's hand began to rise, but paused.

Once more, the small gem faced back towards the figure.

Her hand shot out, a blinding electricity zapping across her hand. Peridot's eyes widened. As if on instinct, she immediately shielded her face, shutting her eyes. "Stop! I'VE CHANGED!"

Everything stopped. It was completely dark. Was it over? Was she…?

Peridot slowly opened her eyes.


	5. A Lighter Spirit

**Chapter Five: A Lighter Spirit**

"Ugh…huh?"

A black rectangle sat in front of her, a light brown floor surrounding it. Her adjusting eyes scanned the room, taking it all in. She blinked. Everything started to clear. The tablet…the barn…of course. "Wait…I'm back…!"

She gazed at her hand for a moment, a smile beginning to spread across her face. "I'm not shattered…! I'm actually back!"

In seconds, Peridot got to her feet, a wave of joy hitting from all sides as she paced the floor. "I don't know how long I've been away!" She momentarily paused. "Well, no matter. I'll find out soon enough!" She hugged her chest, letting out a childish giggle. Soon after, she picked up the tablet and pressed a button on the side. The device lit up, a star symbol appearing on the screen with the word "Christmas" next to it. Her head moved back a bit. "Christmas Day?" She wondered aloud. She suddenly gasped, her eyes lighting up. "That means there's still time! There's still a chance!" Peridot quickly set the tablet down, rushing out the door.

She steadily decelerated, staring at the subtly altered world around her. The outside mostly remained the same, yet the lingering snow on the ground seemed to add a new covering. Earth made no sense. And yet, the thought of its nonsense did for once. Had it not been for Lapis, she probably never would've…

The glow in her eyes faded momentarily. She turned around a moment. The little knocker greeted her, it's dark eyes staring blankly. She made a sympathetic smile, recalling its alteration. She was responsible for all this, right? "Thanks, Lapis."

The faint sound of barking brought her back to the moment once more. She whirled her head around, holding her hands out. "Pumpkin!"

The small pumpkin dog bounded out from a nearby field with its light orange tongue sticking out. Leaping into her arms, she hugged the little vegetable close to her chest. After a few moments though, she lifted it at eye level, its body almost smushed toward her pointed nose.

"Where have you been these past few days?" Her eyes narrowed, simply staring with her bottom lip protruding slightly.

Pumpkin's innocent smile faded away. Its eyes sparkled a bit in shame. It emitted a small whimper, looking away.

The gem's expression softened as a hint of a smile showed through. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not mad." Her own enthusiasm suddenly overtook her expression. "Hey, why don't I come back earlier to spend more time with you?"

Pumpkin's smile returned as she yipped in response.

"Alright then!" She gently set Pumpkin down and it playfully wriggled out of her grasp. She watched as the sentient squash lay down with its stubs spread out. With a grin, Peridot stepped down the hill, looking back only once to wave her goodbye. "I'll be back!" she assured.

For the first time in a while, the gem enjoyed Beach City's overflowing liveliness. Some humans would smile, and she smiled right back. Sure, she couldn't recall any of their names to save her Gem, but it was nice to see them. She couldn't stay for long, though. Someone was probably waiting by now. But first, something had to be amended.

The pair from yesterday stood outside the donut shop, seemingly waiting for something. The small box still rested in the young woman's hand, completely unchanged.

"So, uh, how long do we do this again?" the one on the left mumbled.

"Just for this last hour. Hey, Greg donated today, so better safe than sorry, right?" the one on the right shrugged awkwardly.

"I guess so." He leaned his head on the building, crossing his arms loosely.

The blonde's smile disappeared a moment as she cleared her throat.

A few moments later, the green gem strode onwards, turning to the pair.

The human on the right quickly straightened up, a look of surprise on her face. "Oh, uh, hey! It's you again!" She gave a little half-smile.

The other simply buried his hands in his pockets with a bored expression. "What?" There was a touch of annoyance in his voice.

Peridot couldn't help feeling herself shrink for a few seconds. "I…should apologize for my outburst yesterday. It was wrong of me to assume things I didn't quite understand." She kicked away a patch of snow.

The two glanced at each other silently. After a pause, Sadie walked a few steps forward. "Well…everyone has their moments."

Lars blew out a sigh before catching up to her. "So you wanna donate or something?"

The jewel blinked. "Oh." She looked about, scanning for something. Suddenly, her eyes brightened. "Well, I'm afraid I don't have any currency, but I _do_ have…"

She placed a hand on her Gem, a green silhouetted object floating out. Once the light faded, she wrapped it in her fist and held it out. Carefully, she opened her palm and grinned at the duo. "This multi-purpose bowtie!"

Indeed, a small, red bowtie sat in her hand, a bit folded up but still in good condition. Lars' top lip protruded out, staring at it. Slowly, he grabbed ahold of it, unwrapping the folded parts. He looked to the gem, her smile never wavering. He looked back at the accessory. His hand twitched. "I don't think we can do anything with this," he replied finally. The teen lowered his hand a bit but suddenly paused. "But…whatever. We'll take it." With a swift motion, he placed his occupied hand in his coat pocket.

"He means thanks," Sadie elaborated, nudging his arm with her elbow.

The gem nodded curtly. "I'll try to remember that." She took a few steps back. She stopped. "Well, merry Christmas!" she added, raising a hand before turning around.

The blonde turned towards her partner. "You know Lars…you can go home now," she remarked.

"Wait, you mean it?" He nearly jumped back.

"I mean, Christmas is about family after all."

"Oh, uh, th…thanks." He grinned awkwardly.

Away from the scene, the green jewel made her way towards the limb enhancer prototypes, still hidden by the white sheet. She peeked behind it. No Steven to be found. She exhaled a breath. This made things considerably less complicated. With a final scanning of the general area, she strode out towards the Temple.

For the third time, she laid eyes on the non-despair-laden house attached to the fusion statue. For some reason, her legs had locked again. The first time, it was friendly and warm. The second time, it was cold and foreboding. How would the events be this time? She shook her head. Logically, everything would be fine, given the present sequence had to have been a few hours earlier. Yes, that was right. Fists at her sides, she climbed up the steps toward the door before she could change her mind. As if her form was on autopilot, she knocked the door. Nothing happened. A thought suddenly rushed out. It would be extremely suspicious if Steven now saw her like _this. _Knowing him, he'd likely prod at her for answers, answers that were difficult to word properly. Thus, perhaps it would be best to begin detached like before until she—

Garnet opened the screen door. "Yes?"

"Garnet!" Peridot nearly yelped. After the shock subsided, she let her shoulders down. "Ah, Garnet? Is Steven home?"

A small smirk grew on her face, adjusting her visor. "Yes. Go ahead."

She walked through, her eyes on Steven. Luckily, his back was turned away, saying something to Amethyst. Taking in a breath, she crossed her arms and tightened a frown. "A-hem! Steven?" she began in her coldest voice at the moment.

The boy whirled around, his eyes widened.

Amethyst crossed her leg. "Oh boy, here we go."

"Peridot, I…I was gonna leave soon, but—" 

"You have nothing to explain." She held a hand out. "Your feelings have distracted you from this for too long!" She growled, a bit more fervor in her eyes.

The fourteen-year-old stared at the floor silently. Peridot's expression steadily softened. Perhaps this act had been a little too effective. She drew closer. "But…I've made it worse."

Steven's head rose up. He simply stared for a few seconds before speaking again. "Hey, you don't have to take the blame like that."

"Steven, I'm not…leaving you alone." She placed a hand to her chest. "If what we've been doing is making you worse, we can just…pace ourselves." The gem smiled softly.

"Peridot…" A smile of his own began to appear. "I haven't seen this side of you in a while. I'm happy, but…what happened?"

Her mind drew a blank. "Um." Her mouth tightened, looking to the side. How in the world could she word this and not sound like her Gem was cracked?

"She just had some time to think last night," a low voice replied from behind. Turning around, Garnet stood with her arms crossed. Peridot's eyes narrowed in confusion. She couldn't possibly have known what happened. Unless…

Saying nothing else, the fusion simply gave a thumbs up, a light passing through her visor.

Walking away from another room, Pearl leaned her arm on the couch Amethyst and Steven were still sitting in. The purple jewel placed her hands behind her head. "Yeah, that was fun."

Pearl immediately faced her. "Amethyst, shush!"

She grimaced, transforming her mouth into a zipper. She shrugged.

The taller gem rolled her eyes. In moments though, she straightened up and clasped her hands together. "Well, today's certainly started off unusually, but now it's time for a little something different," she announced in a much more chipper attitude. With all eyes on her for the time, she continued. "Steven, Peridot, stay right there. We'll be back in a few minutes." With that, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl gathered together and made their way to the warp. With all three wearing friendly smiles, a blue light rose up until they disappeared from view.

Steven got up from where he was sitting and walked towards his crystalline friend. "Hey, Peridot?"

She cocked her head slightly.

"Thanks for coming to see me. I think you made my Christmas a whole lot better." In a few moments, he pulled her into a hug.

Her cheeks turned blue, only being able to stare at the contented Steven. Finally, she wrapped her arms back. "Wow…thanks."

"Merry Christmas, Peri."


End file.
